Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal
Memphis’ Geron Johnson (left) puts up a shot against Saint Mary’s defense during second half action in their second round NCAA tournament game in Auburn Hills, Mich.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — "What's today's date?" said Geron Johnson.

This mattered to him, suddenly.

Johnson was sitting at his locker in The Palace at Auburn Hills, surrounded by media, preparing to join his Memphis Tiger teammates in a nationally-televised game against Michigan State for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.

"It's March 22nd," came the answer.

"Yeah, then it was right about now," he said.

Right about this time last year when he was arrested. Right about this date when he had to pick up the phone and call his mother and tell her he was in jail.

In fact, it was March 21, 2012. The story in the Garden City Telegram said Johnson was "arrested on allegations of criminal trespass."

You know where Johnson was on March 21 of 2013?

He was making life miserable for Saint Mary's Matthew Dellavedova, helping lift his new teammates into today's game against Michigan State.

Johnson pondered this twist of fate for a moment, thought about how life can change.

"I have to say," he said, shaking his head. "It's been an incredible year."

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Pastner wasn't gloating. Don't misunderstand. He was just taking pleasure in one of the sweetest, least appreciated stories of this Memphis year.

Twelve months after Johnson seemingly threw away his career with one more bone-headed mistake, he'll be playing in the biggest game of his life. Twelve months after Johnson's mother had to bail him out of a Kansas jail, she'll be in the stands at The Palace at Auburn Hills watching him play on college basketball's brightest stage.

"Geron doesn't get enough credit," said Pastner. "He's been a model citizen all year long. When we took him at Memphis, a lot of people never thought he'd make it this far."

In fairness, a lot of people had reason for their skepticism. Johnson hadn't finished any of his previous three years of basketball. He was kicked off his high school team, then he was kicked off the Chipola College team, then he was kicked off the Garden City team.

So what were the chances that Johnson would finish a season at Memphis?

"I knew I could do it," said Johnson. "In the end, it was all up to me. I could make the right choices or I could make the wrong ones. That's what life is about."

Johnson shrugged, sitting in the locker room. Like it was the simplest thing in the world. But there's nothing simple about changing the way you live, or the way you are ultimately perceived.

Johnson had his own curfew all year long. He has his own curfew even now.

Not only has he not gotten in any trouble at Memphis, he's emerged as one of the leaders of the team.

"People are drawn to him," said Pastner. "I'm talking about our biggest boosters, the Ambassadors. People respect how he has taken advantage of the opportunity to change his life. And that's just off the court."

On the court, Johnson has restored the program's swagger. He doesn't back down from anything.

"He's brought tremendous intensity, he's dragged people with him in the right way with his intensity," Pastner said. "He's a team guy, he wants to win. He's never about stats. He wants to win."

So there was never any question that Johnson would be the one charged with stopping Dellavedova. He'll likely be charged with stopping Gary Harris on Saturday.

"I'm going to go out there and I'm going to try and get stops," said Johnson. "My ultimate goal is the national championship."

Which would be quite the ending to this story, wouldn't it? Except, a story like this doesn't really end.

"When you're dealing with stuff like this, it's day-by-day," said Damon Stoudamire, the Memphis assistant who was in charge of Johnson's recruitment. "You have to keep it locked in. Eventually, one year turns into two, then two years turn into three, then three years turns into 20, and then you've really got something."

So for now, there are only moments. Moments like today's game. Or moments like the other day, when Johnson's mother, Duana, took him out to lunch.

They went to T.G.I. Friday's. They had a sandwich, then they headed back to the team hotel.

"When she let me out of the car, she told me that she she's proud of me, I mean, outside of athletics," said Johnson. "Just becoming the person she knew I could be."